Shloka 1

Preparations of Medicated Ghee and Oils (Ghṛta–Taila Yoga); Brāhmī-ghṛta and Nārāyaṇa Taila

Devanagari script

नाम त्रिसप्तन्युत्तरशततमो ऽध्यायः धन्वतरिरुवाच / घृततैलादि वक्ष्यामि शृणु सुश्रुत रोगनुत् / शङ्खपुष्पी वचा सोमा ब्राह्मी ब्रह्मसुवर्चला

Transliteration

nāma trisaptanyuttaraśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ dhanvatariruvāca / ghṛtatailādi vakṣyāmi śṛṇu suśruta roganut / śaṅkhapuṣpī vacā somā brāhmī brahmasuvarcalā

Translation

“The chapter named the one-hundred-and-seventy-fourth.” Dhanvantari said: “I shall describe preparations of ghee (ghṛta), oil, and the like; listen, O Suśruta, remover of diseases. (The herbs are:) śaṅkhapuṣpī, vacā, somā, brāhmī, and brahma-suvarcalā.”}]}

Word by Word

• नाम: named/entitled
• नाम: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: निदर्शन/उपोद्घात-अव्यय (particle: ‘namely/called’)

• त्रिसप्तति: seventy-three (as numeral component)
• त्रिसप्तति: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + सप्तति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — द्विगु-समासः ‘त्रयः + सप्ततिः’ = 70+? (i.e., seventy-three as a numeral base)

• अन्य: additional
• अन्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘other/further’ (समासपूर्वाङ्ग)

• उत्तर: subsequent
• उत्तर: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘later/next’ (समासपूर्वाङ्ग)

• शततमः: hundredth
• शततमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शततम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — क्रमवाचक (ordinal) ‘hundredth’

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धन्वतरिः: Dhanvantari
• धन्वतरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन्वतरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — ‘said/spoke’

• घृततैलादि: ghee, oil, etc.
• घृततैलादि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत + तैल + आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — द्वन्द्वः + ‘आदि’ (etc.) ‘ghee, oil, etc.’

• वक्ष्यामि: I will explain
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद — ‘I shall explain’

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Imperative/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद — ‘hear/listen’

• सुश्रुत: O Suśruta
• सुश्रुत: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुश्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• रोगनुत्: O dispeller of diseases
• रोगनुत्: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोग + नुत् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — तत्पुरुषः ‘रोगान् नुदति’ (disease-dispelling)

• शङ्खपुष्पी: Śaṅkhapuṣpī (herb)
• शङ्खपुष्पी: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्खपुष्पी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — औषधिनाम

• वचा: Vacā (sweet flag)
• वचा: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — औषधिनाम

• सोमा: Somā (herb)
• सोमा: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — औषधिनाम

• ब्राह्मी: Brāhmī (herb)
• ब्राह्मी: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — औषधिनाम

• ब्रह्मसुवर्चला: Brahmasuvarcalā (herb)
• ब्रह्मसुवर्चला: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + सुवर्चला (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — तत्पुरुषः ‘ब्रह्मणः सुवर्चला’ (name of herb)

Speaker

Dhanvantari

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Transmission of Ayurvedic formulations (ghṛta/taila preparations) and materia medica as sacred knowledge.

Vedantic Theme: Knowledge as upakāra (benefit) to beings; healing supports dharma and clarity for higher pursuits.

Application: Attend to authoritative instruction; begin compiling/formulating ghṛta-taila preparations using listed medhya/rasāyana-like herbs (śaṅkhapuṣpī, vacā, somā, brāhmī, brahma-suvarcalā).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ashram/teaching hall

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.173.30-33 (preceding therapeutic regimen); Garuda Purana 1.174 (continuation of ghṛta/taila formulations)

Characters & Entities

• Dhanvantari
• Sushruta

FAQs

What is the importance of ghṛta and taila preparations in Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces a chapter where Dhanvantari teaches medicated ghee and oil formulations, a major delivery method for herbal therapy in Ayurveda.

How does this verse connect Garuda Purana to classical Ayurveda?

By naming Dhanvantari as the speaker and addressing Suśruta, it places the discussion directly in the lineage of authoritative Ayurvedic instruction.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It highlights commonly used cognitive/nerve-support herbs (e.g., brāhmī, śaṅkhapuṣpī); use them only in appropriate formulations and dosages under expert guidance.